I’m trying to remember back - I think I actually went to a hood to help keep Doc’s Pro Plugs from washing out (although Steve Lee from Lompoc actually gave me the hood as a gift to keep me in the water full time when I was expressing discomfort about the plugs). It should be noted that I didn’t just board surf but also bodysurfed and bodyboarded, and that I hated leashes and didn’t use one much in that period, so I spent a fair bit of time immersed in the ocean. Good points on the alcohol content of alcohol - check the label. For vinegar I use distilled white vinegar, which you can get cheap in half gallon jugs. Less smelly than apple/red wine/white wine vinegar. Don’t want killer bees buzzing your ears…
I might have ya beat, not that I ever wanted to win this contest. Have had the surgery done 4 times over 20 plus years. Full removal the last two times, with the first two being problematic (not enough removed) due to the newness of the surgery back then. I wear a hood almost all of the time these days, and like everyone else, find the ‘windward ear’ is the one that’s perpetually sealed off the worst. My doc says the various ‘swimmer’s ears’ fluids are a bit harsh on the eardrum, what with the alcohol and evaporative process. I should be good for life, what with better protection of my ears and logically less time in the water for the second thirty vs. the first three decades. Mo detectable loss of hearing from the problems, and they’ve tested. Sunscreen and a hood, don’t leave home without it…!
Dennis, i agree on generall principal, screw it, but If or when your ears go to hell, the equilibrium damage will make you feel like 10 fast drinks on an empty stomach, what with the dissyness and pounding headache later. So where are we left…i could go for a drink, that i know.
If the doctor claimed alcohol post-session prevents bony growth, he was speaking out of the wrong end. But I doubt he would claim that. He may have been talking about SWIMMER’S EAR, which has nothing to do with bony growths. The truth is there is almost no available evidence on the efficacy of different preventative treatments on surfer’s ear. Nearly nothing. No evidence that ear plugs or hoods work, or flushing treatments. All existing evidence says it is about heat loss (or cold exposure) in the ear canal, which is why people think plugs and hoods will help. But whereas there are a few dozen studies on surfer’s ear, there are none on the impact of plugs or hoods. http://www.blakestah.com/fins/
Oh yeah - another thing the ENT docs told me, do NOT use q-tips (cotton swabs on a stick) to clean out your ears after being in the ocean, you are a lot more likely to get ear infections that way. The salt/sand/debris left in your outer ear canal becomes like sandpaper when pushed around by the q-tip, leaving small wounds in the tissue, leading to infection…
personal experience says it all.if i venture into any water, pool ocean, shower, withiut plugs(and hood when cold/windy)guaranteed an ear infection by next morning.my friend did his masters thesis(medical anthropology) on the subject. the data speaks for itself…
blakestah “Nep” status Member # 2198 Member Rated: [3] [Icon 1] posted December 17, 2002 09:12 PM [Profile for blakestah] [Email blakestah] [Edit/Delete Post] [Reply With Quote] Surfer’s ear is a bony growth in the ear canal caused by exposure to cold water. To prevent it, the usual recommandation is using ear plugs and a hood. Also, rinsing your ear canal with rubbing alcohol after each exposure may help. But really, it is about the cold. And the only prevention is consistent usage of plugs and/or a hood. Doc’s pro plugs are usually recommended, but most people I know use Ear-Os, which are shaped like little Christmas trees, are cheap, and never fall out. I always wear my plugs, and often a hood too. Posts: 571 | From: Ocean Beach, SF | Registered: Sep 2002 | IP: Logged
i have a friend whos had the operation 3 times after 20 years of surfing ,ive been surfing over 30 and never had a problem ,my ears produce so much wax its disgusting,my friend has no ear wax ,i know another guy who is a professional fisherman and been surfing almost 40 years (major exposure) never had a problem, also produces heaps of wax in his ears… my theory is wax offers some protection against the elements…i have 2 boys 1 has wax the other doesnt ,the boy without wax hates getting his head underwater and hates water in his ears ,the wax boy has no problem with going underwater, lifes great mysteries… regards BERT
Howzit Bert, One thing that alot of people don’t realize is during the operation if the doctor makes a mistake ( which we all know can happen) you can suffer from a stroke. Hopefully this doesn’t happen very often. Aloha, Kokua
hey -doctors make mistakes all day !Don’t you?Did i leave a sponge in your ear??
People with some bone growth already (mild surfer’s ear) suffer from recurrent outer ear infections - and alcohol can help with that. I am in this category. But there is no reason to believe alcohol rinses will do anything for the bone growth. I consider it a part of regular ear hygiene with surfing, though, and I rinse with alcohol every time I get out of the water, right after I take off my hood and remove my plugs. The only recommendations for stopping/slowing bone growth are plugs and a hood. Note: I am not an MD, but I am a research scientist in an Otolaryngology department. http://www.blakestah.com/fins/
Blakestah, Otolaryngology department research scientist? Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery? I’m sure you’ve given this subject a lot of high level thought. That would make your information the absolute latest. I’ve used the alcohol rinse since 1967 so I’m a pretty good subject. I’ve had one recurrence of SE since then. Actually it probably wasnt SE because it was a middle ear infection. My guess is it probably came from my sinus. I probably inhaled something foul at Surf Expo. Or swallowed something rank at Spanish House. Either way the alcohol probably didn’t help, because it didnt reach the problem. Interestingly the Floxin Otic drops the Dr. gave me had some interesting instructions. I could not read them until I got over most of the initial phase of the infection, but the instructions describe a process to get the drops into the middle ear. First the person lies on his/her side and the person giving the drops should gently press the TRAGUS 4 times in a pumping motion. The instructions say, “This will allow the drops to pass through the eardrum or tube in the eardrum and into the middle ear”. I tried it and it worked. I could taste the drops. So now I can deliver alcohol to every part of my ear. mark
Howzit Blakestah, The alcohol just helps to displace the water trapped in the ear. It’s the vinegar the helps abate the calcium growths. I’m sure you’ve heard of people with arthritus drinking a little every day, and from what I understand it helps. Aloha, Kokua
For what its worth, I had the surgery for exostosis/swimmer’s ear last year. It sucked. The otolaryngologist who performed the surgery said it was the worst case of exostosis she had ever seen in her 12 years of performing the operation. The first thing she asked me after she examined me was if I surfed in the winter (I live in NJ). She said she has been seeing more and more of the condition lately, which clearly corresponds with the increase in winter crowds on this coast. I will never surf in water under 55 degrees without a hood ever again, I can tell you that much.
There have been research studies that quantify bony growth as a function of exposure time and temperature. Whereas there are clear trends that relate to temperature, there is also a LOT of variability from person to person. I’ve had friends drilled after 5 years, and others who’ve gone a LONG time with no problems. But, if exposure is adequate, everyone will develop SOME measurable bone growth. At water temperatures above 68F, there seems to be little evidence for a problem. The vinegar is not there to dissolve the calcium. The bony growth is under the skin layer, and the skin is a substantial barrier. Besides, vinegar, at normal “cooking” concentrations, won’t do a heck of a lot to bone unless you soak if for a substantial period. Bone is a LOT tougher than soft tissues for chemical treatments. Vinegar is a regular ingredient in “swimmer’s ear” drops, to alter the local pH to something less favorable for the usual bacteria that grow in there. The recommendation for people with no swimmer’s ear, just looking to clear the ear out post-session, is 95% rubbing alcohol, 5% glycerin. If you have outer ear infection problems (swimmer’s ear), 47.5% rubbing alcohol, 47.5% white vinegar, and 5% glycerin. Both of these mixes are sold commercially for these treatments, OTC. But, there is no reason to think either will impact the bony growth. That is a thermal issue, and the best advice is hood and plugs. And if you can use ear canal drops for a middle ear infection, you should probably spend a few weeks out of the water [smile] http://www.blakestah.com/fins/
I’ve had this operation on each ear twice. I was one of the first guys who had the laser surgery. Once you have it done it grows back very quickly. The best medicine is preventive medicine. In 1992 my rt ear was 98% closed and the left 90% closed. For the next 5 years I always used the silicone plugs. Problem they only work a few times then you have to toss them because of the ear wax. I also had many ear infections and inner ear infections. In 1992 someone gave me a set of Hearos plugs. These changed my life. My bone growth is still the same (remember you can still hear until there is total closure) with no increase in growth. I’ve had no ear infections and I surf 3-5 times a week. Always use them in the tropics and pools also if you have closure. Wash you ears with acahol and vineger. Do not have the orpation you can stall the closure take from soemone who did it twice my last operation was in 89 and by 92 I had it back. Don’t be sucked into this by the doctors like I was! Go surf!